WO2007071206A1

WO2007071206A1 - A method for electronic identification of a person with regard to age and equipment for performing the same

Info

Publication number: WO2007071206A1
Application number: PCT/CZ2006/000090
Authority: WO
Inventors: Karel Stibor; David Polnar; Martin Rosak; Jindrich Jindra
Original assignee: Jvm Computers Spol. S.R.O.
Priority date: 2005-12-21
Filing date: 2006-12-14
Publication date: 2007-06-28
Also published as: CZ2005804A3; EP1984901A1

Abstract

A method for electronic identification of a person with regard to age is performed by an electronic checking of a document carrying personal data of a person, comparing the document with a database of document types, a type of the current document identified and according the document type there is found a place displaying a birth date of the person and the birth date is compared with an actual date on which the document has been presented and only in a case the person meets the relevant age requirement a transaction required by the person is allowed while in the other case the transaction is refused. An equipment for performing said method is provided with a reader of documents with personal data, the reader being connected to a processor programmed to find a birth date in a presented document and to determine if the age of the person meets the pre-set age limit required for carrying out a given transaction.

Description

A METHOD FOR ELECTRONIC IDENTIFICATION OF A PERSON WITH REGARD TO AGE AND EQUIPMENT FOR PERFORMING THE SAME

Technical Field

The invention relates to a method and equipment for electronic identification of a person with regard to age, the method being applicable for inspection of persons when a purchase of certain goods or admission of the person to a certain area is limited by age.

Background of the Invention

There exists quite a number of goods, the distribution of which is permitted only to persons being over a certain age limit. Alcohol and tobacco products are typical examples of goods of this kind. Such goods may be sold only in places serviced by personnel which is to decide if a buyer of respective goods meets the age requirement. Especially night sale of such products becomes very often associated with a risk of a raid and a danger for the staff. In some cases any presence of personnel is not effective because of related costs. Therefore there exist only few places where certain products may be bought daily during the full 24 hour period. The above presented reasons add to continuously expanding application of vending machines as they provide for a sale of products throughout the 24 hours period without any attendance of a staff. At the moment there exists no method and no equipment allowing for a sale of products where a buyer has to meet the age requirement.

Another problem appears at places where admission is permitted only to persons meeting age requirements. Such places include gambling rooms and houses, casinos, shops with erotic goods, rental department offering video recordings with an erotic subject matter, entertainment clubs where erotic films are shown or erotic programs presented, admission to night clubs and disco clubs, playing at slot machines, etc. In such situation a presence of personnel is again necessary, as the personnel is to decide upon eligibility of a person demanding an entry. In this case there still exists a possibility that the staff misjudges the age and lets in a person or sells a product to a person which does not meet the prescribed age requirement. Disclosure and Object of the Invention

The foregoing problems are solved by the method and equipment for electronic identification of a person with regard to his age in accordance with the present invention. The subject matter of the invention includes a reader of documents with personal data, the documents comprising any information means, even electronic ones, displaying at least name and first name and a date of birth of the person, the reader being interconnected with a processor programmed to recognise the date of birth in the document and compare it with a pre-set age limit allowed for execution of a required transaction. The applied term transaction provides for sale of goods which may be sold only to persons being older that the prescribed age limit as well as entry to an area opened only to persons meeting requirements on their age or admission to services allowed only to age qualified persons and any other activity which may be performed only by a person being over a prescribed age limit.

In a preferred embodiment the reader of personal documents makes an integral part of the equipment.

According to another preferred embodiment the processor is programmed to recognise the type of the presented document and to find the area showing the birth date of the owner of the presented document.

According to another particular preferred embodiment the processor is programmed to release a positive signal pulse allowing the required transaction to be performed in a case the birth date found in the document is the same or older that the one of the pre-set limit while in the opposite case there is released a negative signal refusing the required transaction to be performed.

Still further in accordance with the invention the processor is provided with either an internal or external clock and adapted for a correction of the date defining the age limit with respect to actual time.

In the method of identification of a person with regard to age as the first step there is identified a type of the presented document and a field displaying a birth date is located. In the next step the found birth date is transferred into a digital form and compared with the pre-set age limit allowing access to required transaction. If the birth date meets the requirement, the person is allowed to perform the transaction. Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is further illustrated by way of examples presented in the accompanying drawings, in which

Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the said equipment and

Fig. 2 illustrates a flowchart of instruction to perform the identification by means of the preferred embodiment according to Fig. 1.

Description of a Preferred Embodiment

Referring to Fig. 1 , there is shown an equipment for identification of a person with regard to age, the equipment comprising a control unit I, to which there are separately connected a reading unit 2, a pay unit 3, an instruction display unit 4, a first interface 5 for connection of means opening or closing access to required transaction and a second interface 6, free for any further required application. The said means opening or closing access to required transaction may be represented e.g. by vending machines, entry turnstiles, playing machines, door systems, lock or any other safety equipment, etc. The control unit 1 is programmed at least to find and read a birth day from a document inserted in or placed at the reading unit 2 and to determine if the found date meets the pre-set limit. The control unit 1 may be provided for by a microprocessor or any other type of a processor. The control unit 1 is preferably provided with an internal or external clock enabling to set the date determining the age limit according to the actual date. The signal produced by the clock may be transferred to the control unit 1 via a modem providing for updating the equipment at least once a day.

The reading unit 2_may be furnished with a scanner, magnetic or chip card reader, biometry data reader, bar code reader or any other equipment capable of finding and understanding a birth day incorporated in a document. As there exist a couple of documents comprising a birth date the reading unit 2 is preferably programmed to understand a type of the document inserted in or placed at the unit. It is self- evident the reading unit 2 may comprise several readers of different types to be able to read optical, magnetic or any other types of records in presented documents. The pay unit 3 may be provided for by any means enabling payment for goods or service, either directly in cash or by pay cards or electronic wallets. The pay unit 3 should be also able to recognise and accept or deduct from an account a respective price for the goods or service. The pay unit 3 is connected to the control unit i and provides it with information that the required payment has been completed and the transaction may be performed. In a case the payment is completed before identification of the age of a person and only then it is discovered the person is not eligible to perform the transaction the equipment must be able to refund the payment.

The display unit 4, being connected to the control unit 1, displays instructions for an operator and for further communication with the person requiring a transaction. The display unit 4 may be provided for by any equipment for a communication with the person. There can be used e.g. an LCD type display, a monitor, signal lights illuminating respective lettering, etc.

The first interface 5 provides for connection with operated appliance, while the second interface allows for connection of other facility, such as a terminal for communication with a bank, alarm unit, etc.

The above discussed equipment operates as follows.

A person requiring a transaction to be performed inserts a document into a slot of a reading unit 2 or just simply puts the document on the reading unit 2, as the case may be and the reading unit 2 opens a communication with the control unit 1. At first there is determined a type of the document and consequently a field with the birth date is located. The date found in the document is digitalised and compared with the date corresponding to the minimum age limit as pre-set within the control unit 1.. The age of the identified person can be established by various procedures known per se, such as a simple comparison of data, when a threshold birth date meeting the minimum age limit is set in the processor memory or the birth date shown in the document is compared with the current date and the time difference between the two data is compared with the pre-set minimum age limit, etc.

Provided the age of the person in question satisfies the limit, e.g. age limit of 18 years for a purchase of alcohol or cigarettes, the control unit 1 releases a signal allowing the required transaction to be carried out. In such a case the control unit 1 sends a signal to the pay unit 3, which becomes active for a certain time period. Such a time period may be equal to a time necessary for a completion of the transaction. The fact is reported to the person by means of the display unit 4 and the required product is ready to be taken away. Then the vending machine is again blocked and ready for the next client.

When established the age of the person does not meet the age limit allowing access to the required transaction or the presented document is not evaluated in a way favourable for the person, the whole transaction is stopped. A coin unit or a bank card reader remains inactive, i.e. any coin just falls through or the card is refused. The display unit 4 shows instruction informing the person accordingly. The machine remains in a blocked state and waits for another client. Throughout the waiting time the pay unit 3 remain inactive, therefore any coin thrown in a slot falls through or any applied card is refused.

In a case of age-limited access to a certain area the above described equipment operates as follows.

A person requiring access to a certain area or requiring services which are open only to persons of or above a given age, e.g. 18 years, inserts his document into a slot of a reading unit 2 or just puts the document on the reading unit 2, according to the type of the applied sensor. The information about the age if not being already in a digital form, the fact depending upon the type of the document, is transferred into such form and the digital information is preferably through a suitable interface, such as RS232, USB₁ TCP/IP, and by means of a communication protocol transferred to the control unit 1. The control unit 1 compares the found information with the actual date. In a case the person meets the age requirement there is opened a lock or a gate or in a case the entrance to the area is equipped so, the pay unit 3 and the person may immediately or after paying prescribed entrance fee within a certain time period enter the area. Preferably there can be utilised a mechanical turnstile which is adapted accordingly. When the entry time period is over the entry means are again automatically locked and wait for a new client. On the contrary, when established the coming person does not meet the age limit the entry means remain locked and in the waiting state. The refusal of entry shall be shown to the person on the display unit 4.

The equipment according to the invention may be preferably used also for a check of access to public internet service. In this case the control unit 1 is connected directly to a processor of equipment enabling access to internet, e.g. a computer in information centres, information terminal etc. The control unit 1 software instructs the equipment processor to check the client selected websites for forbidden key words such as porno, sex, arms, violence or the like. If such words are found the information is sent to the control unit 1 which in turn will require the client to prove he is eligible to access the selected websites. The person demanding the access to such internet information presents his document with a birth date to the reading unit 2. By the above described procedure the age of the person is located and compared with the age limit value. If a person is of or above the prescribed age the processor is allowed to open the websites in question. It could be favourable to repeat the check of the age of the client, e.g. every 5 minutes there appears a window with a report that for further browsing through the selected websites the birth date has to be verified again. The respective age information being unsatisfactory or even not provided at all the selected websites shall either not open or shall be closed if opened before. Such a procedure gives an opportunity to refuse access to websites not recommended to person who have not reached a certain age, while retaining full access to non-offending materials. In a case of public internet subject to a charge, the pay unit 3 will come to action at the beginning of the whole procedure. The first step is a payment of a required fee and only then the age of the person is verified, provided the selected website comprise offending material.

From all the above revealed facts and described applications of the method and equipment according the present invention it is obvious that there exist a wide range of human activities where identification of a person with regard to age is necessary and may be easily provided for. It is also obvious that various embodiments of the said equipment shall meet the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Instead of selecting an age equalling or exceeding the given age limit as a criterion for allowing or denying access to required transaction it is also possible to select the age being under the limit as the criterion of allowance, but this time a person meeting such criterion shall be refused because of not sufficient age while any other person shall be allowed to perform the transaction because of proper age.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. A method for electronic identification of a person with regard to age characterized in, that there is checked a document carrying personal data of a person, comparing the document with a database of document types, a type of the current document identified and according the document type there is found a place displaying a birth date of the person and the birth date is compared with an actual date on which the document has been presented and only in a case the person meets the relevant age requirement a transaction required by the person is allowed while in the other case the transaction is refused.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in, that there is checked a document carrying personal data of a person, comparing the document with a database of document types a type of the current document is established and according the document type there is found a place displaying a birth date of the person and the birth date is compared with a pre-set age requirement and only in a case the person meets the age requirement a transaction required by the person is allowed while in the other case the transaction is refused.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in, that the birth date found in the document is transferred to a digital version to be compared with the pre-set date.

4. An equipment for performing the method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in, that it is provided with a reader of documents with personal data, the reader being connected to a processor programmed to find a birth date in a presented document and to determine if the found age meets the pre-set age limit required for carrying out a given transaction.

5. An equipment for electronic identification of a person according to claim 4, characterized in, that the reader of documents makes an integral part of the equipment.

6. An equipment for electronic identification of a person according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in, that the processor is programmed to recognize a type of presented documents and to find a field comprising a birth date.

7. An equipment for electronic identification of a person according to any of claims 4 to 6, characterized in, that the processor is programmed to release a positive signal allowing a required transaction to be performed if the found birth date meets the set limit and a negative signal if the birth date is under the limit value.

8. An equipment for electronic identification of a person according to any of claims 4 to 7, characterized in, that the processor is provided with an internal or external clock and programmed for a correction of the set age limit with respect to actual date.